Knife-setting machine



N. A. LOCKWOOD'.

KNIFE SETTING MACHINE- APHLICATION FILED FEB. 11.1921.

N. A. LOCKWOOD.

KNIFE SETTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. IIl 192|.

1,405,790. Patented Fab. 7, 1922. A 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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M v AI'To RNEYS PATENT OF Fice.

Neilson A. Locxwoon, or oenEN, UTAH.

KNIFE-SETTING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 7, 19,22.

Application filed February 11, 1921. Serial No. 444,248.,

To all 10710072.7115 may concern:

Be it known that I, NELSON A. Looiwoon, a citizen of the United States,residin at gden, in the county of Weber and tate of Utah, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Knife-Setting Machines; and I dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and use the same.

This invention `relates to knife settingxnachines of a character devised-for mechanically adjusting the corrugated slicing 'knives as arrangedin sets, in their knife supporting blocks, preparatory Yto loading therevoluble drum of certain types of beet cutters primarily, although theinvention ma-y'later be found to be equally susceptible for use in otheranalogous relations.

The object of slicing the beet roots as cossette chips, the corrugatedform of knives with their knife supporting blocks, and an illustrativetype of beet cutting drum machines, employed in such connections, haveall been fully and clearly disclosed in my prior patent #1,339,210, ofMay 4, 1920,'to which reference may be had for more detailedinformation, and it would serve'no particularly useful end to repeatthem herein; but the resulting liability of abnormally cut cossettes,from the `method of setting the knives as theretofore practiced, and theserious disadvantages thereof, may well be restated and emphasized asfollows As practiced prior to the time of my former disclosure, setVforth in the aforesaid patent, the operative placed the knife supportingblocks on an ordinary work bench, or other convenient support, andbolted the sharpened knives in position without any attention whatsoeveras to their being in proper alignment, as it would `be very dillicult tomanually adjust them for that purpose. frs these knives have corrugatedcutting sections, preferably triangular in cross-section, w ich followeach other in .cdgcwise circumferential series, it is ,manifestthat'abnormal cossettes will result when the cutting sections of one'knife are out of 'line with those of a 1preceding or a 'followingknife, being cut thicker on one side than on the other. It is extremelyimportant, however, that the cossettes, or hollow prismatic beet chips,should be of uniform ribbon-like thickness on both sides, as a great.loss is otherwise experienced in the sugar contents exuded by diffusion.i

As in my former patent, therefore', the primary object of the presentinvention'is also to provide simple and effective mechanical adjustingmealns, f-unctioning to positively and accurately center or spot theknives so that their cutting sections will be congruently alignedcircumferen-tially,` and thus insure the evenly slicedk cossettesrequisite for the maximumprocurement of their sugar contents, while atthe same time devising such a particular form of machine, the alteredstructural arrangement and detailed assembly of which provideimprovements that are peculiarly suitedto the lneeds of smallersugarmills, requiring a smaller and less costly machine for use in handlingonly one knife block at a time,'instead lof the full complementl ofknife blocks usually comprising a set of approximately eight knifeblocks loaded into the drum of the average beet cutting machine. f

These as wellas other objects and advantagesV will be so cle/arlylapparent, however, as incidental v'to the following disclosure, that itis unnecessary to further enlarge upon the same, and withtheseYprcfaci-ng `remarks reference will now be immediately had to theaccompanying drawings, illus- (fi-ating a practical embodiment of thepresent improvements, in which drawings- Figure l is a view in sideelevation of the new machine, partly broken away and partly shown insection in some few places fora clearer conception of interiorconstruction; Figure 2 is a view in front elevation, the knife blockbein-g broken away, for convenience, to show only one of the knifesections, which are disposed in endwise pairs, and of which there arethree sets in reality as in Fig. 4; Figure 3 is a local plan view at theupper right hand side of Fig. 1, .as indicated by the section line 3-3across the counterbalanc-ing weight arm; Figure 4 is alongitudinalsectional viewthrough one of the knife blocks, mounting the endwisepaired sets of corrugated knives, and which Valso would indicate itsdisposition duri-ng the lowermost zone of clockwise travel :when

in its beet cutter drum, but which forms no part of the inventionproperand is only illustrative of the application thereof; and Figure 5illustrates a grouped end view of three cossettes, two of which areabnormally cut while the other one -is correctly cut, with reference tothe speedy maximum procure- I ment 'of their sugar contents in thediffusion process.

vlatter providing a horizontally disposed strap bearing 12, controlledby fastening bolts 13, and the standard 11 also providing towards itslower end ay horizontal arm 14, terminating in an axial stub 15 that hasan axial threaded end socket 16 anda. pcripheral -socket 17, the latterfor receiving the `end ofV a taper pin 1S, which may be flexiblyconnected to the standard, as by a chain 19, to prevent itsmisplaceinent.

The knife block support may preferably be reversibly mounted by theaxial stub 15,

rand' to this end the latter isshown as being encompassed by a snuglyfitting sleeve 2O that may be formed integrally with the knife blocksupport, as later referred to, and the peripheral wall of the sleeve mayalso be apertured, as at 23, to provide for a grease cup 24.

vlhe lower periphery of the sleeve 2O is formed with a longitudinal ribpojecting substantially forward as a lug extension 25 that has athreaded vertical bore to receive a set-screw element 26, the upper endof which is formed as a cone 27 and the lower end having'a manualcontrolling element,

'such as an operating handle 28.

' -The knife block supportA proper is of bifurcated structure'and maycomprise a transverse'base bar 29 providing the forwardly projectedparallel elongated side bars 30, which are formed withsuitably beveledrecesses 81 along the whole length of their upper inner faces (see Fig.2) to provide. supporting guideway ledges for slidingly receivingthe'end walls of the inserted knife block, it being observed that theside bars 30 are substantially spaced apart and that the arrangementpermits' of the knife block being inserted sideways from the outer endof its support, for sliding inwardly to proper positiony for the desiredknife adjusting or .centering The sleeve 20'1nay be integrally formedwith the base bar 29 as a rearwardly extended central hub therefor, anda smooth axial bore 22is provided that is in alignment with the threadedsocket16, for the reception of a stud bolt 32, while the base bar 29 mayalso be counterbored, as at 21, to receive the nut of said bolt, if astud bolt, or the head thereof if in the form of a cap screw. By thisarrangement, the bolt 32 is firmly Screwed home in the threaded socket16', as a fixed axis pin for the huo sleeve" 20 andrits knife blocksupport, the bore 22 encompassing the axis pin in pivotal relation, aswill be apparent.

As will later appear, there is a good reason for thus pivotally mountingthe knife block support, whereby its position may be reversibly altered,completely or partially, and it will be understood that this arrangementis an additional improvement with relation to the more. important one ofmechanically aligning the knives themselves, the co-operating novelmeans for accomplishing which latter will now be entered into fully.

An upper horizontal arm 35projects forwardly of the standard 11, in theplane of the lower arm 14, and terminates over the knife block support.

The body portion of this arm is shown as tapering and as having anannular abutment shoulder 36, with a reduced cylindrical rear end 37,the latter for mounting in the strap bearing 12. The forward end is alsocylinf drical, as at 38, and has an abutment shoulder 39 that is formedwith a pair of upwardly projected spaced lugs 40, to pro` vide avertical guide slot for the horizontal latching arm 42 of a bell cranklever, which is pivotally secured to the arm 35, as by the spaced ears41. kThesaid latching arm 42` of the bell crank lever is adapted` toproject forwardly of, and in contained relation wit i,-

its guide abutment lugs 40, while 'the-vertical arin 43 of the leverserves as an actuating handle therefor. Y

45 'indicates a vertically suspended, or pen-l dulum-like, pivoted armthat is mounted to Vnotches of which are adapted to receive theprojected end of the 'lever latching arm' 42 for holding the swingingarm 45 in variably set angular positions. Y

The bearing sleeve 46 nia-y also provide an upwardly projected lug plate50 to which may be secured a vertical bar 51 to adjustably mount asliding weight 52 for the swinging arm 45.

The lower end of the latter provides a forwardly disposed offsettingbend 53, terminat ing in an upright and vertically aperturedcounterbalancing iio elongated guiding foot 54 for receiving a re-.V

tractile plunger bar 55. The upper kend of the latter is capped with anoperating head 56, or its equivalent, and an encompassing spring 57encircles the bar between its capping head, and the top of theguideifoot, while the lower end of the bar may be tapere-d tofit a c1respondingly bored shank of a knife center-i. meniber 59, suitable apentures bein provided and a taper pin 58 associated t erewith to securelyattach the knifecentering member to the retractile bar. The verticalaperture through the guide foot 54 could be other than a cylindricalbore if desired, with the bar 55 formed accordingly, to prevent thelatter from turning any, although it is believed that the matter isunessential and the formations may be cylindrical as shown.

It will be seen from Fig. l, as viewed with Fig. 2, that the knifecentering mem ber 59 is simply in the form of an elongated rectangularshoe that has its bottom face transversely serrated at 61-e62, with anin-` termediate recess or gap 60, the serrations substantiallycorresponding with the eX- ternal corrugated surface of the Cossettecutting knives, thelgap functioning to straddle the abutting inner endsof a pair of knives being centered.

The foregoing description in reality covers the actual elements embodiedby my iin-- provements, but 'before setting forth the manner of theiroperation it is desirable to refer to the mounting of the corrugatedbeet cutting knives, for the proper aligning of which the invention isespecially devised. l

The knife blocks (see particularly Fig. 4) embody segmentally curvedframe sections, adapted for insertion in ya beet cutter drum, comprisingside walls 65 and cross bars 66, the latter being formed with a verticalweb Vsurmountedby a forwardlyv projecting flat transverse support 67 anda rearwardly projecting transverse support 68, having a concaved upperface with slots 69 opening downwardly therefrom to house adjustableswinging bolts 70 that are connected with cutregulating guide bars 7lhaving convex bottoms rotatably seated in said concave supports. Theknives consist of elongated flat bases having an upwardly `offset andforwardly projecting series of corrugated (in this case serrated) hollowslicing members 73 terminating in forward cutting edges. The knife baseshave a pair of rear edge slots 75 converging inwardly and (Jo-operatingwith longitudinal slots 74, 'in the base supports 67, and with anchorbolts 7 6 for securing the knives on their supports 67. Seating meansfor set-screwsare provided intermediate of the ends of the outer edgefaces ofthe sides 65,.and such suitable means are indicated by one of apair of threaded studs 77 having beveled recessed heads 78, althoughinmy machine only one of these seatingstud elements is actually neededto be engaged Vby a setting screw for that particular block@ Y Y As-would be indicated by the division line 72, at Fig. l, the knives aremounted in endwise pairs on the blocks and, as before stated, undermethodsiprior to my inventions no attempt whatever was made to bring thecutting edges of the several pairs of knives of eachv block and hencethose of .the several blocks themselves, into congruent alignment. Forinstance, it may be noted that where the central pair of knives are outof line with reference to the end pairs, the beet chips will be cutheavy on one side and light on the other, as indicated by the Cossettewat Fig. 5, whereas the rear pair of knives being in proper line withythe forward pair, but immediately following the central pair out ofline, the beet chips will be cut heavy on the other side, as indicatedby the cossette Z). Thus with this one bad adjustment alone thereresults a plurality of series, across the machine cutter, of abnormallycut chips of at least two different forms, which serious defect isproportionately made worse when the knives of other blocks in thedrum'cutter are also out of line, because `normal cossettes c will onlyoccur when the cutting edges of the knives of the series are incongruent circumferential alignment.

0 y) eration.

As a matter of fact, a knife block may be unloaded ofits dulledykni'vestand a set of sharpened knives placed thereon, and lightlysecured for final adjustment, before utilizing my `machine at all; buton the other hand the whole operation may be .done on the machine andwill be so described.

Assuming, therefore, that the arm 45 is swung'to either side land heldin a horizontal position, out of the way of the operative, by the detentor latching arm'42being dropped into one of the notches 49, or for thatmatter by the weight of t-hecountenbalancing arrangement 50-51-52, thena knife block with dulled knives may readily be slid into the knifeblock support of my Inachine as in Fig. l and V2 (although the arm 45,is there shown in centering position for the knives of a sharpenedset)pwhen the setl screw 26 would be' operated to cause its cone headA27 to enter the recessed head 78 of the knife block stud 77.

The vblock is held against longitudinal4 play others so `inserted willbe held set in the knife block support in identically the same positionbythe set screw arrangement just referred to. Regardless of theirknives,

.therefore, the knife blocks are themselves moving the dulled knives.V

Paired sets of sharpened yknives are then attached to the emptied knifeblock, when v they are initially fastened to hold themnot too tightly,but without any regard at all as to their true alignment. This reloading.could be done when the knife block support is in a partially reversedor tilted position only, if desired, but at any event, when thesharpened knives are so loosely set initially, itV is necessary that theparts be made to assuniethe position shown in the drawings for knifecentering adjustments, with the knife block support firmly held in itshorizontal plane by the replacement of the taper pin 18.

The tram arm 45 being a radius arm relatively to the arc of the knifeblock, it is immaterial which pair of knives are first adjusted, but inthe drawings it happens that the tram arm is centrally disposed;

Upon now operating the plunger rod downwardly, it follows that. theserrated faces 61-62 of the shoe 59 will engage the external surfaces ofthe corrugated central knife sections 73, with the gap spanning theinner end division space 72 of that pair of knives. This operation willobviously draw thev pair of knives inwardly towards each other, orreversely will slightly spread them apart as the case might be, thusbringing them to a centered or spotted position that will be common toevery pair of knives so operated on in that block, or any other block.

` A pair of the knives being now accurately spotted and held in suchadjusted position by the serrated centering slice, the nuts 76 arefurther tightened up from underneath during that time. The tram arm,being free to oscillate back and forth, may then be swung to -anotherposition to adjust another pair ofthe knives. When all of the knives ofa block have been thus centered, the knife block support may again bewholly or partially reversed, to more Vconveniently screw the nuts 76securely home, as they must finally be made very tight, preparatory tothe block of sharpened knives being loaded into the beet cutter drum. l

As shown in the drawings, the slots49. are diametrically opposed, toreceive the detent 42, for holding the tram arm 45 latched in :knifeblockl for the purpose of aligning the knives. As a matter of fact,however, these slots 49 need not necessarily be diainetrically opposed,and indeed'if it were found desirfable, there-,might be several moreintermedi- 60 ate slots which would enable the arm to be held latched inpositions directly radial to eachset of the successive knives, althoughit is not thought that Vthis would be necessary and would necessitatethe operationv of the detent 42 cach time the setting shoe 59 wasshifted from one other. Y v

While I have thus made a complete disclosure of a practical embodimentof my improvements, it may later be found tovbe desirable or expedientto make minor alterations or substitutions in the form and structuralarrangement of elements, but without departing from the scope and spiritof the invention, and it will be understood, therefore, that I do notlimit myself necessarily to the exact details shown and described,excepting as they may come within the terms of the ensuing claims or asfairly interpreted in the light of the specification and understoodequivalents.

IVhat I do claim, as new and patentable, is

1.v In knife setting machines of the character disclosed, thecombination with a knife block support for removably holding, insubstantially horizontal disposition, a knife block that mounts endwisepaired cossette slicing knives, of mechanical centering means adapted tospan the abutting ends of said knives, when so disposed, and radiallyoperable to engage and adjust said knives in an endwise directionrelatively to each other, substantially as described. j Y

2.- In knife setting machines of the character disclosed, thecombination with a fiat wise reversible knife lblock support forremovably holding,in reversible substantially horizontal disposition, aY knife block that mounts endwise paired Cossette slicing knives, ofmechanical centering meansladapted t0 span vthe abutting ends of saidknives, when so properly disposed, and radially operable toengage andadjust said knives in an endwise Ydirection' relatively to each other,substantially as described'.

8. In knife setting machines of they lchai'- acter disclosed, thecombination with a knife block support for removably holding, insubstantially horizontal disposition, a knife block that mounts endwisepaired cossette. slicing knives, of means co-operating'with pair ofknives to ancomplementary means of said knife block for centering saidknife block on its support, and mechanical centering means adapted tospan the abutting ends of said paired knives, when so supported, beingradially operable thereof to engage and adjust said knives in an endwisedirection relatively to each other, substantially as described.

4. In knife setting machines of the character disclosed, the combinationwith a flatwise reversible knife block support forremovably holding, inreversible substantially horizontal disposition, a knife block thatmounts endwise paired Cossette slicing knives,

Vof means carried by said reversible support and co-operating withcomplementary means of said knife block for centering the latter on itssupport, and mechanical centering izo means adapted to span the abuttingends of said knives, when so properly disposed, being radially operablethereof to engage and adjustl said knives in an endwise directionrelatively to each other', substantially as described.

5. In knife setting machines of the character disclosed, the combinationwith a yknife block support for removably holding, in substantiallyhorizontal disposition, a segmentally shaped knife block -that mountssuccessive sets of endwise paired `Cossette slicing knives, of a supportsuitablyr mounted to be moved in association with said successive setsof knives, a bar carried by said latter support and radially operablerelativelyto said knives, and a centering shoe carried by said bar andproviding a serrated face, having an intermediate gap, adapted to spanthe abutting ends of said knives in engagement with the latter, toadjust the same in an endwise direction relatively to each other,substantially as described.

6. In knifesetting machines of the character disclosed, the combinationwith a-iiatwise reversible knife block support for removably holding, inreversible substantially horizontal disposition, a segmentally shapedknife block that mounts successive sets of endwise paired Cossetteslicing knives, of a support suitably mounted to be moved in associationwith said'successive sets of knives, a bar carried by said lattersupport and rectilinearly operable radially of said knives, and acentering shoe carried by said bar and providing a serrated face, havingan intermediate gap, adapted to span the abutting ends of said knives inengagement with the latter, to

adjust the same in an endwise directiony relatively to each other,substantially as described.` Y

7. In knife setting machines of the character disclosed, the combinationwith a ver- Vtical supportproviding a forwardly projecting outer arm anda shorter projection spaced fromthe latter, of a knife block supportextending as a flatwise continuation of said shorter projection, forremovably holding a. segmentally shaped knife block that mountssuccessive sets of endwise paired cossette slicing knives, a radius armpivotally connected to'said outer arm to swing transversely of saidknife block support, a plunger rod carried by the free end ofsaid radiusarm, and a knife centering shoe carried by said plunger rod andproviding a suitable engaging face co-operating with the abutting endsof said knives, substantially as described.

8. In knife setting machines of the character disclosed, the combinationwith a' vertical support providing a forwardly projecting outer arm anda shorter rigid arm spaced therefrom in substantially the same plane, of

a knife block support extending as a atwise reversiblecontinuation ofsaid shorter arm, for removably holding a segmentally shaped knife blockthat mounts successive sets of endwise paired Cossette slicingknives, a-ra. dius arm pivotally connected to said outer arm to swingtransversely of said knifeblook support, a plunger rod carried by thefree end of said radius arm and operable rectilinearly thereof, and acentering shoe carried A Vend'wisepaired.Cossette slicing knives, aradius arm pivotally connectedto said outer arm to swing transversely ofsaid knife block support, latching means cooperating between said outerarm and said radius arm, a plunger rod carried by the free end of saidradius arm, and a centering'shoe carried by said plunger rod andproviding a suitable engaging face co-operating with the abutting endsof said knives, substantially as described.

10. In knife setting machines of the character disclosed, thecombination with a vertical support providing a forwardly projectingouter arm and a shorter arm spaced therefrom in substantially the sameplane, of a knife blockl support extending as a flatwise continuation ofsaid shorter arm, for removably holding a segmentally shaped l' knifeblock that mounts successive sets of endwise paired cossette slicingknives, a radius arm pivotally connected to said outer arm to swingtransversely of said knife block support, a counterbalancing attachmentfor the upper end of said radius arm, a plunger rod carried by the freeend of said radius arm, and a centering shoe carried by said plungerlrod and providing a suitable engaging face co-operating with theabutting ends of said knives, substantially as described.

11. In knife setting machines of the character disclosed, thecombination with a vertical support providing a forwardly projectingouter arm and a shorter projection spaced from the latter, of a knifeblock support extending as a flatwise continuation of said shorterprojection, for removably holding a segmentally shaped knife block thatmounts successive sets of endwise paired cossette slicing knives,setting means co-operating with complementary means of said knife blockfor centering the latter on its support, a radius arm pivotallyconnected to said outer arm to swing transversely of said knifeblocksupport, a plunger rodcarried by the free end of said radius arm,and a centering shoe carried by said plunger rod and providing asuitable serrated engaging face co-operating With the abutting ends ofsaid knives, substantially as described. v

12. In knife setting machines of the character disclosed, thecombination with a vertical support providing` a forwardly projectingouter arm and a shorter projection spaced from the latter, of a knifeblock support extending as a bifurcated continuation of said shorterprojection and providing internal longitudinal ledges, to slidinglyreceive and hold a segnientally shaped knife block that mountssuccessive sets of endwise paired Cossette slicing knives, a radius armpivotally connected to said outer arm to swing .transversely of saidknife block support, and a reciprocating knife centering shoe operablelongitudinally of said radius arm and providing a suitable engaging faceco-operating with the abutting ends of said knives, substantially asdescribed.

13. In a knife setting machine of the char# acter disclosed, thecombination With a vertical support providing a lateral cylindrical'-1stub, of a knife block support embodying a hub sleeve to said stub, apivotal arm sup ported from said vertical support to swing' transverselyofV said knife block support, and a knife centering shoereciprocating-ly mounted towards the free end of said ,piv-fKV otal armand providing a suitable engaging face co-operating with the abuttingends of saidkniveS, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I alix my si nature.

lNELSON iaLoeKW on.v

